Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards – Søren Kierkegaard The new year is prime time for reflections. Especially this year as we mark the movement into a new decade. I’m a bit late on my reflections for the fall, so it seemed like a good idea to start here. …
My Mountaintop Experience: Climbing Mt. Fuji
A wise man climbs Mt. Fuji once, a fool climbs it twice – Japanese proverb Although the climbing season for Mt. Fuji ended this week, I feel like now is a good time to share my experience. As usual, I like a little time between the “doing” and the “telling.” I plan to put out …
What I Learned – Summer 2019
Learning is not attained by chance. It must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence – Abigail Adams Well, here we are – back for another edition of what I’m learning. If you’ve been around the blog for a while, you know I’m a long-time fan of Emily Freeman. Each quarter she …
The Sound of a Living Heart
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it – Proverbs 4:23 Two weeks have passed since I last wrote. Sorry about that. With two trips in two weeks, life has been busy. I’ve been enjoying seeing new things and soaking up this glorious life I’ve been given. And I’ve been …
It’s a Small World: Seeing Connections Across Cultures
I aimlessly travel, meaning I have no agenda other than to get small in the world, be quiet and observe people – Walton Goggins I’ve been toying with the idea of a small world since I started the Cambodia series. Words have come in fits and spurts, and none of it feels cohesive. After all, the …
Beauty from Ashes: Visiting Cambodia’s Tuol Sleng and Killing Fields
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on …
Finding Community: Together at the Table
People need to spread love toward strangers. We all bleed the same blood and we are all part of a global community now. – Aloe Blacc As some of you know, this year has been the year of international travel for me. As of the end of June, I’ve spent time in 5 countries, not …
Day 1 of 1,095 – How We Met
Falling in love with you was easy / You were always meant to have my heart / I was broken all to pieces / You were there to be the missing part. – JJ Heller, “Until You Came Along” It’s our third wedding anniversary. It feels both like we’ve just met, and like we’ve been …
What I Learned This Winter
It is only by reflecting on the past that one can create a better future. – Rithy Panh I’ve been following Emily Freeman’s What We Learned blog posts for years now (You can find some of her old entries here). While she used to compile them more often, a while ago she moved them …
6 Tips to Thrive When You Move to a Foreign Country
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” -Maya Angelou Have you ever been in a place where it was difficult to communicate with other people? I’ve spent plenty of time choosing not to talk to …